Need advice today - please help-fellow applying for job?

[pathperson]

I am finishing a surgical pathology fellowship and am about to start a cytopath fellowship, all at my home instutition. In the past few days I learned there is a VA job opening nearby. I trained at this VA for about a month each year, and it is affiliated with my program.

I have family reasons (spouse's job) for needing to stay in the area, which is a big part of the reason I did 2 fellowships. (It is difficult to judge someone's situation when you do not know them, so please refrain from saying I am clearly a ***** for doing 2 fellowships. I agree it is not an ideal situation in the path job market.)

Should I apply for the VA job? Here are my questions:

1) Does it burn a bridge if you apply for a job and list references from current position when you have a contract to do another fellowship there? I am on very good terms where I work (they did keep me for 2 fellowships which had mutiple in-house applicants), in a department I hope would hire me one day but that is currently fully staffed. If I take a job at the VA, and actually never start the cyto fellowship, this could burn that bridge for any future job openings at my current place. I would tell the concerned parties I am applying, of course. I would need their references. When asking about future jobs where I am now, I am told they would like to keep me, are currently fully staffed and cannot predict the future. The business model where I am is one of hospital employment, and therefore the pathologists cannot decide to add someone just bc they want to.
2) I do not want to stay at the VA forever; is this experience considered good experience even if it is VA? (older population, mostly men, etc) Is the VA looked down on in general by pathologists bc of lighter case load, etc? Could I ever get a job in private practice with this experience?
3) Does doing a cytopath fellowship in itself add marketability? In other words, will doors be closed down the line if I don't have that board certification, or will it not matter bc I have experience?
4) They say they want APCP pathologist who can start ASAP. They "desire" someone with an odd combo of things I do not have (derm, molecular, chemistry). They do not say they require prior experience, nor do they say new grads are considered. I have no idea if I will even get an interview....should I even apply if I do not have the experience they are "desiring"? Or will it just cause drama and won't pan out in the end?

If anyone has any experience specifically with being an attending or an applicant from the same institution where you did residency, applying for a job or actually backing out of a fellowship, please respond. I think my faculty would be understanding, but I have no experience in this area.

Thank you!

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[Tissue issue]

Have you talked to any of the pathologists at this VA about your chances of getting this job? Who is making the hiring decision there?

 

[pathperson]

I assume it is the temporary chair making the hiring decisions, who is a staff pathologist I get along with pretty well. I wrote to him and his response was: We need an APCP pathologist who can practice independently to start ASAP. I wrote again to ask his thoughts about leaving before doing the cytopath fellowship, and his response was short, to the effect of...It is a very personal decision. Follow your heart. Do what is best for you and your life.

He is a non-native English speaker (quite fluent). I am not sure if anything he said "means" anything in terms of whether I would get the job or not. Maybe they have to be brief with everyone who writes, I don't know. I do know through my sources that in the past the chair did not want new graduates, even if the other staff did want a particular person; however that chair has retired. In the past the current temporary chair has told me that it is not good to start one's career at the VA due to the lack of specimen variety. He came there later in his career. This was just in conversation and not specific to me; he also did say in the past that he thinks I am an excellent trainee, etc, but I never know what to make of such remarks.

I honestly do not know if I am competitive for this position with the particular things they mentioned in the ad. If nothing else it would be good interview experience and could turn into a good shot to stay in the area.

Thank you for your response!

 

[TraumaBlonde]

Would you consider Georgia or South Carolina?

If so, I think I can help

 

[pathperson]

I am fixed on a different state but thank you for responding.

 

[Tissue issue]

I am offering advice only in an attempt to help- obviously there are limitations in that we do not know each other. My understanding from what you wrote above is that you want to stay in your current city/area long term. I believe your best course of action is to begin a dialogue with your current chairperson/department leaders about your desire to be a junior faculty until a "real" staff position opens up. Of course, this means doing your cyto fellowship and forgetting about the VA position. This also puts you in the best position should a private practice job become available.

Again, there are limitations to my assessment of your situation but based on what you relayed it sounds to me like the VA chair is not planning to hire you. I've been on the hiring side of the equation.

Good luck.

 

[TraumaBlonde]

I am fixed on a different state but thank you for responding.

Of course!

Let us know you found what you needed ✊

 

[gbwillner]

4) They say they want APCP pathologist who can start ASAP. They "desire" someone with an odd combo of things I do not have (derm, molecular, chemistry). They do not say they require prior experience, nor do they say new grads are considered. I have no idea if I will even get an interview....should I even apply if I do not have the experience they are "desiring"? Or will it just cause drama and won't pan out in the end?

IS this that weird post that other people posted on this board a few months ago? THEY WILL NEVER FIND THAT PERSON. I would be willing to bet a very sizable amount that there is not one person on this planet boarded in those three subspecialties.

If anyone has any experience specifically with being an attending or an applicant from the same institution where you did residency, applying for a job or actually backing out of a fellowship, please respond. I think my faculty would be understanding, but I have no experience in this area.

Thank you!

You should know well in advance if you will get the job. If you let them know you are interested and the response is lukewarm, immediately look elsewhere and stop broadcasting any intent to back out of fellowship unless you are 100% certain. You will be undermining your credibility and commitment, and if you choose not to leave, it will stay with you.

I assume it is the temporary chair making the hiring decisions, who is a staff pathologist I get along with pretty well. I wrote to him and his response was: We need an APCP pathologist who can practice independently to start ASAP. I wrote again to ask his thoughts about leaving before doing the cytopath fellowship, and his response was short, to the effect of...It is a very personal decision. Follow your heart. Do what is best for you and your life.

Ouch. This sounds like "thanks but no." I would immediately send a "just kidding" follow-up. If this guy is your chair (even temporarily), you need to be their best friend and start sucking up right now, so that when you finish your fellowship and show that you are indispensable, he will offer you a position because you are his best friend and can't live without you.
At the same time, start making friends and looking elsewhere. If you HAVE to stay in that same town and there are no other options, reconsider your life goals.

 

[yaah]

To be honest, you might tick some people off by bailing on a fellowship this late, but most normal people would understand given the circumstances. If you were bailing this late for something less compelling (like a different fellowship) that might be different. It is hard to predict how people will react. It can be hard for fellowship directors to suddenly be faced with an empty spot 2 months out.

The temp chair is accurate - it is a personal decision.

But people are right you should never back out of anything until you are certain you have the job AND you want it.

 

[Torsed]

VA wouldn't be a bad gig. I don't think their pathologists ever looked stressed.